What is the correct outcome when evaluating the expression 2(a^2 - 1)?

What is the correct outcome when evaluating the expression 2(a^2 - 1)?

• A. 2a^2 - 1
• B. 2a^2 + 2
• C. 2a^2 - 2
• D. 2a - 2

Answer: (C)

To evaluate the expression 2(a^2 - 1), you need to apply the distributive property, which is used to multiply a single term by a sum or difference contained within parentheses. In this case, you are multiplying 2 by each term inside the parentheses: 1. Multiply 2 by \(a^2\), which results in \(2a^2\). 2. Then, multiply 2 by \(-1\), which gives you \(-2\). When you combine these results, you get the expression \(2a^2 - 2\). This shows that the initial expression simplifies correctly to that result, making it the accurate outcome of evaluating the expression. Other options do not follow the evaluation of the expression correctly, either by omitting the negative sign or misapplying the distributive property.

To evaluate the expression 2(a^2 - 1), you need to apply the distributive property, which is used to multiply a single term by a sum or difference contained within parentheses.

In this case, you are multiplying 2 by each term inside the parentheses:

1. Multiply 2 by (a^2), which results in (2a^2).

2. Then, multiply 2 by (-1), which gives you (-2).

When you combine these results, you get the expression (2a^2 - 2). This shows that the initial expression simplifies correctly to that result, making it the accurate outcome of evaluating the expression.

Other options do not follow the evaluation of the expression correctly, either by omitting the negative sign or misapplying the distributive property.